Loading map...

1906 Map of Urbana

Name: 1906 Topographic Map of Urbana
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1906
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1906

About this map

The burgeoning cities of Champaign and Urbana anchor this central Illinois landscape at the opening of the twentieth century. While the urban centers display an emerging street grid, the surrounding prairie is defined by a dense network of steam and electric railways. The Illinois Central and the Wabash RR bisect the territory, connecting isolated grain stops and rural communities like Thomasboro, Leverett, and Philo. This map reveals the transition of the region into a highly organized agricultural and transportation hub, with many small settlements and sidings appearing before the widespread adoption of the automobile.

Waterways like the Salt Fork and Embarras River wind through the township divisions of Stanton and Sidney, providing a natural contrast to the rigid geometry of the section lines. Local history researchers can pinpoint rural landmarks such as the Mt Olivet church and the junction at Glover, while genealogists can trace the early footprints of settlements like Mayview and Angerville during their peak railroad era.